


Star Wars: The High Republic; Journey into Darkness

by Space_Revenant



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The High Republic: Light of the Jedi - Charles Soule
Genre: F/M, Forbidden Love, Pre-Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-17 06:55:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29096124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Space_Revenant/pseuds/Space_Revenant
Summary: Before the Great Disaster, there was a fresh excitement for exploration into the untapped potential of the mysterious Outer Rim. Settlers from across the Republic have gathered to venture into the unknown in search of new life for themselves and their families! On a colonization mission led by ace pilot Layla Halfree and her Jedi escorts Knight Leo Belasko and Padawan Port Boten, uncover a dark mystery on a world they thought never before inhabited.
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

Part I- Port Boten

Deep within the quiet halls of the Jedi Temple, a single kyber crystal illuminated a darkened classroom. It gently spun into a focusing chamber, suspended in mid air by an Ithorian Jedi Padawan. As the various pieces gingerly made their way from the table to the air, perfectly fitting into one another, the Padawan felt their histories in the Force. From the metals he sensed their pasts as rock on distant worlds. The green crystal, so light it was nearly yellow, had formed on the planet Ilum over thousands of years only to jump into the young Jedi’s hands at his initial trip into the cave.   
For Portulloo Boten nicknamed Port by his Master, everything had happened so quickly. One moment he was with his fellow younglings gathering crystals with Master Yoda and learning about their nature, the next he was being told that he was special. According to Jedi Master Yarael Poof, Port was gifted with the rare ability of psychometry. He was able to see an object’s history through the Force just by touching it. In order to properly harness and foster the development of that skill, he was being assigned a Jedi Master earlier than the other younglings in his cohort. The next thing he knew he was in council meetings, in talks to venture into the largely unexplored and uninhabited outer rim, and meeting more Jedi Masters than he could keep straight in his head. Those moments flashed in his mind in quick succession; training, then Ilum, then Padawan, and just as soon as he had begun to find the rhythm it all slowed to a crawl again. He re-centered himself, focusing on the glow of his green crystal.   
He opened his mouths, inhaled deeply, and gently exhaled. He had chosen a classroom close to the garden so that he could feel the living Force instruct him on his lightsaber’s construction. The tiny screws found their way into their resting places, the emitters and regulators slotted into place, and finally the last part of the hilt lifted from the table.   
Port had only a single memory of his parents. He was three years old when he was gifted to the Jedi Order, and his parents’ parting gift to him was a small sapling. To the Ithorian people, nature itself was sacred and over the course of the last eleven years he had cultivated it into a fairly sizable tree considering it had been grown in a youngling’s dorm. He and the tree had grown together, both physically and spiritually. He could hear the Force sing through its leaves and branches, and Port sang back to it in return by caring for it. In a way, the tree had lived the life of a Jedi. Over the last decade it had brought peace to Port in his darkest hours, been there for him to help focus his mind and feel the Force around him. In the end, the tree had sacrificed its own trunk in an act of selflessness in order to be shaped into the perfect hilt for Port’s lightsaber. Though it was only a plant, Port was sad when he felt the Force call to him to do this. No matter the trials ahead, he would have his oldest companion by his side throughout the journey.   
The components all clicked together and the hilt snugly slotted into place. Port looked at the completed lightsaber before him but hesitated to pick it up.   
“Go on,” his Master Leo Belasko said quietly. “You’re ready for this.”  
Again the Ithorian breathed into his mouths and exhaled slowly, reaching out with both hands and grabbing the hilt. He extended his arms upwards and ignited the blade, all at once feeling himself connected with the tree, his Master, the outside garden, and the Force itself.   
“Congrats, Port You’ve officially taken your first steps into a larger world.” Master Leo Belasko said in his best Ithorese. He had done a great deal to learn the language in preparation of taking on his new student, but still had some work to do. He smiled and placed one hand on his Padawan’s shoulder, raising his own purple blade up to match his Apprentice’s. “Whatever’s waiting out there for us, we’ll be ready.” He said, reassuringly. Port, unable to contain his excitement, turned off his lightsaber and bowed respectfully before letting out an enthusiastic cheer.   
“Thank you, Master Belasko.” Port said in his native, stereoscopic language. “May I show my friends...?” He asked hesitantly.   
“Of course you can,” Belasko responded in basic, “be proud of your accomplishment, but not prideful. This is just your first step on a lifelong journey, but you’re more than welcome to have fun along the way.” He smiled.   
With that, Port smiled back and ran down the halls with excitement, stopping only to kneel before Master Yoda and present his new blade. The ancient Jedi looked over at Belasko down the hall and smiled at him, nodding. Both the Padawan and the young Jedi Knight had begun their new journeys that day, marching together towards destiny.


	2. Chapter 2

Part II - Leo Belasko

Leo Belasko was equally fond of and intimidated by Master Yoda. Nearly every Jedi who walked the halls of the Temple had trained under him at some point and by some miracle of the Force he was able to remember all of their names. The small green master approached the Jedi Knight and smiled.   
“Not too long ago for you, that was, hmm?”  
“No, not long at all, Master.” Belasko responded. “In fact, that’s my worry. I understand why the Council paired us together but do you really think I’m ready to take care of my own Padawan? I mean, I barely even feed myself when I’m supposed to. When am I supposed to feed him? Plus Ithorians have a special diet of...” he trailed off as Master Yoda raised his hand.   
“Self doubt...hmm...cripple a Jedi’s connection to the Force, it can. You worry about what you do not know. Instead, focus your thoughts on what you do know. Teach the fish to swim, the river does not. Show the river which way to flow, the fish does not. Nonetheless, together they work in the same direction through the will of the Force. An introspective child, you always were. Use this. Questions, you must ask him. Allow him to uncover the mysteries of the Force for himself.”  
Belasko nodded, still unsure but feeling better about himself.   
“Thank you, Master Yoda.” He bowed.   
“Over seeing the outbound departures, Master Kriss is. Go and see her for your assignment. May the Force be with you, Knight Belasko.”   
“May the Force be with you, Master.”   
The two parted ways and Leo headed for the main hall. The controlled chaos of the Temple was always refreshing for Belasko. He felt like part of an ecosystem, living and breathing as a smaller component to the larger micro-world that was the Jedi Order. Beings of all shapes and sizes passed each other, some slowly and some briskly, all on their way to separate destinations. At the center of it all, Master Avar Kriss stood with a datapad in hand. Her very presence radiated light as she checked off names and adjusted forms. She was the kind of Jedi Belasko wanted to be. She was brilliant, able to think on her feet and adjust her strategy to any situation, but also firm in her stances once she’d dug her heels in. Compassionate, selfless, and renowned for her leadership abilities, she was a real Jedi’s Jedi.   
“Belasko,” she smiled softly. “I see you’ll be joining us out on the frontier.”  
“My Padawan and I look forward to our assignment, Master.” He said, bowing to hide his excitement that one of his personal heroes even knew his name.   
“You’ll be escorting a cargo ship full of people trying to start new lives on the planet of Skyrda. Initial probes have found it to be a very lush world with a lot of potential for these colonists. You’ll be with them for eight weeks while they settle in, will you and your Padawan be up for the challenge?” She asked, looking up from the datapad.   
“Yes, Master. We’ll serve the Republic with pride.”  
“Good.” She smiled. “Interestingly enough you were actually personally requested by the pilot of this cargo ship. When I explained to her that your area of expertise was more focused on ancient civilizations than planetary exploration, she said you were the only Jedi for the job.”   
Belasko’s eyebrows formed an inquisitive expression as the color ran from his face. There was only one pilot bold, or perhaps stupid, enough to so openly request his presence on her ship.   
“Does the name Layla Halfree mean anything to you?” Kriss asked, clearly perceiving the troubled expression on his face. He nodded.   
“An old friend, we go far back but we haven’t spoken in a few weeks.” Belasko said as he cleared his throat.   
“Well she was very insistent that you be the Jedi to escort the settlers.” Kriss said, looking away not wanting to assume the worst of any Jedi.   
“If that’s everything Master, I’ll see if I can contact Layla and get prepared for departure.” Belasko said, just wanting the awkward moment over with.   
“That’s all, Knight. May the Force be with you, keep your Padawan close, and don’t forget...”  
“We are all the Republic.” The two said in unison.   
Belasko pulled up his hood and headed back to his dorm room. He planned on spending the rest of the late afternoon and evening meditating on how to best serve the Republic on his new assignment. As he walked, he reflected on his encounter with Master Kriss, reflected on being selected by Layla Halfree, on leaving the Temple for so many weeks. He had never been so far from home for so long before. Most of his time had been spent studying or helping his own Master, a Kel Dor named Es’jay Leese, explore ancient ruins on Republic worlds. He pulled out the datapad in his robe, forwarding the details to his Padawan.   
“Relax and enjoy time with your friends, Port. Forty-eight hours from now, you’ll be on your first Jedi journey.” Belasko added to the message.   
He opened the door to his room, stopping suddenly at the sight of a hooded figure standing next to his bed. Belasko pulled back his cloak and ignited his lightsaber, the purple blade cut through the air in an instant.   
“Who are you!?” He asked in a hushed whisper.   
“Is that really how you’re going to greet your best friend?.” The figure asked, removing her hood and revealing the face of a Mirialan woman with dark hair and a bright smile.   
Belasko turned his lightsaber off and quickly shutting the door behind him. She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, but he turned his head away.   
“How did you get in here?” He asked with a sigh.   
“Wasn’t it you who told me about how easy it would be for any old stranger to walk into the Temple as long as they kept up the pace? And wasn’t it you who gave me the key to your room? And shouldn’t you be more happy to see–“   
He cut her off with a hug, then quickly stepped back.  
“I am happy to see you, Layla.” He half smiled. “But what you did was dangerous, what you’re doing is dangerous, if the Council found out that I was attached to someone the way that I’m attached to you, I could lose my Padawan and get kicked out of the Order.”  
“A Padawan? You’ve got a kid to look after now?” Halfree’s eyebrows formed a question.  
“Yes and he’s very perceptive, so he’s going to pick up on the fact that I’m very close with someone outside the Order. My job is to be benevolent and unattached towards the people of the Republic, remember? I’m supposed to guard you, not sneak out of the Temple for late night sabacc games.”  
“Cool your engines, Leo. I asked for you because you’re a great Jedi, not because you’re good in a card game. I’m being paid well to help these people set up shop on some far away outer rim planet and they wanted Jedi protection. The way I see it, everyone wins in this situation.” She shrugged.   
“Except Port. I can’t sacrifice teaching him just to go galavanting on some adventure with you.”  
“You’ve already been given the assignment, Leo. Try not to stress over it too much at this point, just enjoy the moment.” She winked. Belasko sat on his bed, looking up at Halfree as she stood over him.   
“Promise me one thing?” He asked.   
“Anything.” She said, sitting across from him on a messy table. He looked into her light blue eyes and gave her a smile.   
“Will you teach Port how to fly? I’ve never been that great of a pilot and the kid deserves to learn.”   
“Of course!” She laughed. “And here I thought you were going to ask me to marry you or something.”  
“Not yet.” He laughed. “But maybe I will if we don’t kill each other after eight weeks together.” Together they laughed.   
“Cool if I stay for a while? I brought drinks and cards...” She asked, hopefully. He rolled his eyes.   
“Yeah, but you leave right after we’re done.” Belasko responded.   
With that, the two friends were reunited for the first time in a long time, unprepared to confront what the Force had in store for them.


	3. Chapter 3

Part III - Layla Halfree

The next morning arrived quicker than Halfree had hoped. When she told Leo she needed to “lay low” for a while, she had imagined they would only be apart a few days, not a few weeks. Despite the time apart, neither of them had really changed. He had a new scar, one that ran down from about halfway up his forehead over his right eye and down his cheek, but that was about it. He still had that same dour charm, still played the part of the conflicted Jedi, and still rarely took off his gloves. He had explained to her that his hands were sensitive to the Force somehow, that touching objects and people allowed him to see things from the past, but Halfree had never really been able to grasp the more mystical side of him. She watched him sleep for a moment, they had fallen asleep on the floor across from each other. He quickly startled awake at the sound of his comm-link beeping. A strange sound came through the speaker, a voice that she assumed came from his Padawan. The kid spoke a difficult language, though it was even harder to understand through the compressed audio of a comm. Leo responded in the language with a rough, stilted accent. She found herself amused by his attempt and waited for him to end communication before making fun of him.   
“Won’t you whisper sweet nothings in my ear with that suave accent of yours?” She teased, poking his cheek with her index finger. He groaned and sat up.   
“Don’t you have a cargo ship to prep?” He asked, pulling his hair back into a loose ponytail.   
“I do, actually.” She responded as she got up and started to get dressed. “Any requests from my esteemed Jedi protector?”  
“Well firstly you can return my copy of Alderaanian Folk Tales, plus and a room with a nice view for Port. He’s a little anxious about being away from the Temple for so long.” Leo said, getting himself up off of the floor.   
“Can do on both accounts, though you owe me a few more bottles of whiskey compensation for your special privileges.” She chuckled before pulling the hood over her head.   
“Layla,” Leo said, “It really is good to see you again. I missed hearing your laugh.”  
Halfree walked over to him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.   
“I love you.” She wanted to tell him. Though she knew he wouldn’t allow himself to say it back, she was more than certain he felt the same. “I’ll see you soon, Jedi Knight.” She said aloud.   
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” He reached over to his desk and grabbed a small notebook. “My manuscript for a new story I’m working on. Will you give it a read?” He asked.   
“All you ever have to do is ask.” She replied, taking the small notebook in hand.   
“May the Force be with you, Layla.” He said, returning the smile. The air held in suspense for a moment, but nothing came of it. She half-heartedly smiled, squeezed his hand, and stepped out of the door. With that, she departed, following the flow of Jedi traffic until she was able to sneak out of the Temple.   
Halfree’s first stop was her favorite bar in the Underground, “The Lucky Lekku”. She caught a cab and counted her credits, there was business to settle. The bar was still closed, it was early in the day, but she knew Grelka would be there. She knocked on the door.   
“Grel? It’s Layla. Will you let me in?”  
“Go away unless you’ve got money this time.” Replied the scratchy-voiced Duros from the other side.   
“That’s what I’m here for. It’s time for me to settle up on some things.”  
Grelka opened the door, she looked nervous and beads of sweat had formed on her forehead. “Come in, kid.” She said quietly. “Don’t say I didn’t try to warn you.” She said in a whisper.   
Halfree entered the bar, seeing no less than twelve blasters aimed in her direction. Most were faces she didn’t recognize, but one was all too familiar.   
“Sscorg, still shilling for the Black Sun, I see.” Layla growled at the large Trandoshan in the center of the room.   
“Halfree, ssstill acquiring debtsss you can’t pay, I sssee.” He chuckled. “Luckily for you, thisss isss only a warning. You’ve got three rotationsss to leave the money you owe with thisss Durosss,” he pointed at Grelka, “Or there won’t be a hole in the galaxy where you can hide from usss.” Then, without a word, all the gun-toting gangsters exited the bar without taking their eyes off of Halfree. After a moment of silence, she looked over at Grelka.   
“I didn’t come in here to raise my tab any, but I think I’ll take a double shot of something strong, for the road, you know?”   
“You’ve gotten yourself neck-deep in sewage water if you know what I mean, kid.” The bartender said, pouring the drink and sliding it across the bar. “This one’s on the house. It may be your last one ever.”  
Halfree laughed and knocked back the liquor before placing a hefty pile of credits on the table.   
“I owe you, Grel. I’m going to miss you.” She smiled.   
“How’d you get tied up with the Black Sun anyhow? Those are serious kriffing gangsters, Layla. When they find you—“  
“They won’t find me.”  
“Kid, they’ll scrub every inch of the known galaxy just to cut your throat.”  
“That’s why I’m leaving the known galaxy. Listen, I know I’ve had a bit of a gambling problem lately, but all of my cards are on the table now and I can’t fold. Even if they did find me, I’ve got protection.”  
“Layla, I can’t stress this enough, you’re in way deeper than you realize. I’ve had fun being your personal therapist over the years, but you’ve taken it too far this time. That Trandoshan’s been showing up every day with his buddies for the last two weeks waiting for you to show up, scaring off potential customers and even my regulars. Kid, I love you like a daughter but if you’re getting out of the system, you need to do it soon.”  
Halfree stood up, her head spun a little from the heavy alcohol, but she kept her composure. “That pile of credits is everything I owe, plus a couple tips. Take care of yourself Grel, if they come back, tell them I went to Corellia.” She headed for the door and Grelka leaned over the counter.   
“Why Corellia?” She asked loudly as Halfree turned around in the doorway.   
“Because they suck at cards and gamble with ships!” She laughed.   
Halfree could only hope Sscorg was stupid enough to buy the lie, but she wasn’t certain. It wouldn’t matter either way, Grelka didn’t know anything and Layla would be gone before that overgrown lizard would have any chance of finding her. This was her big break. She would fly the colonists out to Skyrda, settle in, and forget all about her troubles in the Core Worlds. If she were lucky enough, she might even get Leo to stay with her out there. He insisted there was no such thing as luck, but her life was testament that luck was made, not given, and she had no plans of stopping production.


	4. Chapter 4

Part IV - Port Boten

There were only two hours before their scheduled departure time and Port was nervous. As he paced back and forth around the Jedi Temple’s garden he realized he was, in fact, more than nervous. He was anxious. Even this space, which had become so sacred to him during his time at the Temple, had little effect on his anxiety. So often in the past he had been able simply to walk near the garden, to smell the various flowers and trees in harmony, and recenter himself. Nothing had worked though, no matter how many times he inspected the seedlings or checked the water contents of the soil, he still felt out of whack.   
“Master?” He asked over his comm, “will you come meet me in the garden?”  
“Sure thing, Port. I’ll be there in a moment.” Belasko responded in Ithorese.   
The Padawan breathed a sigh of relief. If anyone could help him, it would be his Master. Belasko either had a great sabacc face, or genuinely was able to handle himself under high stress situations. Port thought about how difficult it was just for one to move from youngling to Padawan and he had seen how difficult the trials were to move from Padawan to Knight. He wondered if he would have the same strength, the same conviction that Master Belasko must have shown to get to where he was.   
“Port you okay, brother?” Master Belasko asked, breaking the Padawan’s line of thought.   
“Master, how do you know what the Force wants from you? How do you feel what it’s trying to say? It’s just too big. I must confess, I feel so lost, so often.”   
“The Force will always be too big until you decide it is not. Tell me, how do you see the Force?” Belasko inquired.   
“I don’t see the Force, that’s my problem. It’s so big that it’s simultaneously everywhere and no where at once. Does that make sense?”  
“Very much so, many who use the Force struggle with this. You have to make the intangible become tangible for yourself. Tell me, what’s something that brings you peace, Padawan?”  
“This garden brings me peace.” Port said, starting to feel more confident in his struggle.   
“Good! Very good. Now, I want you to let any other thoughts you have slip away. Pick a word or a phrase to help focus yourself. When you’re ready, try to imagine the Force as a garden. Close your eyes, what do you see?”  
“I see...I see beautiful flowers in bloom, some are still growing though. I see...myself? Yes, I see myself. I’m just a sprout though, I can’t tell what kind of plant I’ll become. All around me though I can feel the interconnected nature of the garden, I see individuals growing and dying. I see some who accept water and others who deny it. Most of all though, I see...I see the Force for what it is now, I think. The Living Force is the air and the sun, breathing life into us and allowing us to grow as individuals. The Cosmic Force is all the roots beneath the soil, weaving and interconnecting everything that’s ever been in the garden from the smallest sprout to the largest tree.” Port said at peace, floating slightly above the ground.   
“Port! That’s amazing!” Belasko said, pride pouring through in his words. “Master Poof said you were a quick learner, but that was incredible. Kid, you’re really gifted.”  
“Thank you, Master.” The Ithorian said, gently floating down to the ground. “I actually felt connected to everything in that moment, like I actually was starting to grasp what Master Yoda was talking about in his lessons.”  
“That’s fantastic! Now do you get that whole “luminous beings” thing he talks about?” Belasko asked.   
“No, I still don’t get that at all.”  
“That’s okay, one step at a time.” The two of them laughed.   
“Thank you, Master Belasko.” Port said, smiling.   
“Of course, brother, and you can just call me Leo. Save the fancy stuff for formal reports.” The Jedi took a deep breath in. “Listen, there are going to be times when things get dicey, and I mean really dicey. Indecision comes from a place of fear, of choosing incorrectly, but failing to choose can often be worse than making the wrong choice. It wasn’t too long ago when I was in your shoes. My indecision got my Master killed.”  
Port’s eyes shot open with fear. He had read reports about Leo’s history and never seen anything about him being responsible for the death of his own Master.   
“I’m not telling you this scare you,” Belasko continued, “I’m telling you this so that you can learn from my mistakes. Feel the Force, see your garden, allow it to guide you.” The Jedi Knight then pulled a pair of gloves from within his robe. Port had noticed that his Master almost always wore gloves, but hadn’t gotten the chance to ask about them yet.   
“For me?” He asked, looking up at Leo.   
“For you. Our gift of psychometry makes us more sensitive to the world around us, sometimes you may touch something by accident and pick up all of the latent memories and emotions of that object. You don’t have to wear them, but keeping gloves on has helped me to keep from overstimulating my senses on accident.”  
Port slipped the gloves on his hands, they felt soft but sturdy at the same time. They were well-fitted even to his longer Ithorian fingers.   
“I appreciate this, Master. I’m going to grab my things, meet you by the ship?” The Padawan asked.   
“Don’t be late, brother.” Belasko responded.   
The two of them parted, each going their separate directions but carrying with them new lessons and a deeper connection.


	5. Chapter 5

Part V - Leo Belasko

Belasko was running late again. Not considerably late, but the Corellian Freighter he was boarding was supposed to take off in the next fifteen minutes and the only passenger not on board was of course, himself. The Jedi had always been a big fan of Layla Halfree’s ship. There was enough room in the middle for a sense of community to build, yet at the same time there were enough nooks and crannies to get lost in with a good book. “The Vienna”, as she had taken to calling it, had survived many journeys across the core worlds delivering all sorts of cargo. Leo had learned not to ask too many questions when Layla requested a hand unloading things or needed some extra protection at a delivery. Was helping his best friend smuggle illegal alcohol into Coruscant against the Jedi Code? Absolutely, yes it was. But there was a case to be argued for “assisting a citizen of the Republic in their endeavor to culturally connect with those around them through merriment.” Besides, his calling was to uncovering the mysteries of the Force, not to obey an ancient Code that had been interpreted and reinterpreted hundreds of times across thousands of years. Master Yoda had always assured him that his judgement was sound, and if Yoda said it, who could argue?  
Belasko pulled himself out of his own head for a moment to concentrate on not bumping into any of the various people hurriedly trying to board the cargo ship.   
“You’re late, like always.” Layla said, spotting him trying to blend in.   
“Technically I still have a few minutes...” he began to say.   
“Stow it, Jedi. Your Padawan’s already on board.” She said, preventing Leo from digging himself into a deeper hole than he already was. She seemed more anxious than usual.   
“You okay?” He asked, going up to her and keeping his voice low as to not draw any more attention to them.   
“I’m fine, we just need to get going.” She responded, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Your room is next to your student’s. I originally thought it would be for you to keep an eye on him, but he seems more put together than you’ve ever been.” She chuckled.   
“Port’s smart as hell, but I can sense his anxiety from here. These next few weeks are going to be a challenge for him.”  
“For all of us, I’m sure...” Layla said rubbing the back of her neck and looking away.   
“I’ve got your back through this, if I’m going to be stuck in the Outer Rim with anyone, I’m glad it’s you.” He smiled, patting her shoulder and heading off to his small room.   
Port was meditating on his bed with the door open, doing his best to calm his anxiety. Leo decided to follow his apprentice’s lead and sat on his own bed, but closed the door. He dropped his bag on the ground, kneeled on his bed, and took a deep breath in. He felt the air around him, thick with the hopes, desires, and fears of all those aboard the ship. He imagined himself as a bird, flying high above the treetops in a forest, following a long river connecting everything together. He felt the lurch of the Vienna as it lifted off the ground, moving up and towards the atmosphere of Coruscant. Leo took another deep breath in, something felt amiss on board, but he couldn’t place it. He searched his feelings, tried to sense exactly what it was. Someone on board had ill-intent, but he couldn’t figure out who or why. He stood up, wanting to warn Layla. The emotion of hate felt stronger in the air, it sharpened to a point like a knife. As he exited his room, he saw Port waiting for him outside.   
“Master, I—“ Port started, but was cut off.   
“I felt it too.” Leo responded quickly, moving towards the cockpit. He knocked on the door, but felt the ship moving into hyperspace. “Layla?” He asked loudly, knocking harder. There was no response. A crowd was beginning to form, but Leo tried to block out the noise and attention. He closed his eyes, focused, and began to unlock the door with the Force. Just as he felt the manual lock coming undone, he heard a blaster go off and a body hit the cold surface of the ship’s deck.


End file.
